How to Dry the Carpets23 Sep
There are five key ways to quickly and effectively dry your carpets in the event that they are exposed to excessive moisture. In this article we will discuss each method to help you determine the best course of action for your specific needs.
Create Sufficient Air Flow
We hang clothes outside on the clothesline because the air can dry them out quickly. Using the same method can also dry a carpet more efficiently. If you have carpet in a room that has several windows or a door leading outside, you can easily create an ideal environment to allow for sufficient air flow to help your carpet dry quickly. This will also help to avoid a damp and musty smell from developing in that room. However, keep in mind that this method is weather permitted, so windows must stay closed on rainy and cloudy days.
Tip: If you have two windows on opposite sides of the room, open one window entirely, and open the other window just slightly, which creates a strong cross-wind to dry the carpet more quickly.
Using The Fan
In humid weather, the wind seems pretty useless, which is why the fan gets its time to shine in humid conditions. A ceiling fan works well to dry the carpet that is directly underneath it by creating an air funnel. Once a funnel of air blows over the carpet, it starts to dry out quickly. In addition, you can use a desk fan or standing fan, which would also get the job done. A fan can create a current under the air and over the carpet, speeding up the drying process.
Tip: When you have two fans placed on opposite ends, turn the fans on to quickly dry the carpet.
Utilize Your Air Conditioner
Your air conditioner is an excellent tool to utilize in drying carpets if you do not have adequate airflow in the room, or a fan nearby. However, running the AC increases the cost of energy and maintenance bills. It is also unable to provide fresh air, due to the lack of air circulation. If you choose to dry out a room using the air conditioner, the room may become dry and stuffy.
Tip: It can be tricky to determine whether a carpet is still damp, or if it is just cold from the air coming from the AC unit. The best course of action is to shut off the AC when the carpet starts feeling dry to the touch, allowing the carpet to come to room temperature, and then testing it again to see if the carpet and padding are dry.
Expose The Padding
When you have a large carpet, drying it by exposing the padding is an ideal solution. Once you have extracted an adequate amount of water from the padding, you can then pull the carpet back. Using a set of pliers, peel back the carpet beginning at the corner, and slowly begin to pull it back as the padding is exposed. You will hear ripping and tearing sounds, which is simply the sound of the tack strip as you pull back the carpet. This is not cause for alarm.
You can follow these steps to dry out your padding:
1. Blow air between the padding and the carpet.
2. Use a dehumidifier when in the closed room.
3. Lift the four sides or corners of the carpet, and let a fan blow the air under the carpet and on the padding.
4. Connect a vacuum hose to the vacuum, and place the hose under the carpet and above the padding.
Towel Dry
Using a dry towel is also a feasible way to dry your carpet, since towels are specifically made to be absorbent. By laying a dry towel on a wet carpet, the liquid will transfer from the carpet to the towel, removing excess moisture. It is best to lay the towel down and then walk across it, allowing your body weight to assist in picking up water that is deep in the carpet fibers. Once the towel is saturated, begin the process over again with a dry towel until all of the moisture is absorbed. Continue checking on wet carpets to ensure that they are thoroughly dried. This process can be repeated as many times as necessary to achieve the desired result.
Drying carpets after cleaning is quite a daunting task. It requires skill and effort, and if you want to take your carpet drying game to the next level, we offer a professional service to help ease your mind.